Why would Clay Bennett and his fellow Sonics owners change their minds about moving the team to Oklahoma City?

What are our chances — really — of getting another NBA franchise here if the Sonics leave?

In our latest followup, former Sen. Slade Gorton — who, history tells us, knows what he’s doing when it comes to dealing with major-league sports — provides some very concise answers:

“I would hope the league would be anxious to settle this matter without spreading all of this on the public record or having to go through a trial,” Gorton told the Seattle P-I on Thursday. “In that respect, the key times are next week (with the Legislature) or if the governor wants to do so, a special session; the April date at which the league meets to determine relocation; and the date of the trial (in June).”

Gorton remains hopeful of forcing Bennett to sell to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his three partners by convincing NBA owners that Seattle has a viable arena solution as well as financial backing before the NBA Board of Governors meeting April 17-18 at which league owners will be asked to approve Bennett’s relocation request to a much-smaller market in Oklahoma City.

“If we have this done before the owners meet, I think there will be a lot of pressure within the league to say, ‘I don’t think we want to approve this move. Why should we? It’s not to the advantage of the league. Do you want to take the offer they’ve made in Seattle or do you want to sell the team and maybe you get the next team that moves?’ ” Gorton said. “To me, that’s the ideal solution, that (Bennett) sells this one and buys the next team that is available.”

Gorton also sees the chances of luring that next team to Seattle as “quite remote.” He notes that Ballmer & Co. aren’t the only tycoons interested in buying an available NBA franchise, and cautions that other cities trying to land one are “very likely to have brand-new arenas” as incentives.